Game board



Sept. 27, J F. GElBEL GAME BOARD Filed July 17, 1950 Patented Sept. 21, 1932 N TED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'II OHN I. GEIBEL, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 MASTER METAL PRODUCTS,-

' INC, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 01 NEW YORK GAME Application filed July 17,

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in game boards.

Its chief object is the provision of a game board which has been designed for playing bridge and similar card games out in the open air and which employs means for effectively anchoring the cards to the board to prevent their being shifted or blown about by the wind or other disturbing elements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a card playing game board of this character which is simple, compact and inexpensive in constructlon, which is convenient to handle, and which is provided with readily replaceable elastic elements for holding the cards in their respective positions on the board.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a perspective of a game board embodying my invention. Figure 2 is an enlarged cross section thereof taken in the plane of line 2-2, Figure 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section on line 3-3, Figure 1. Figure 4 is a detached perspective view of one of the elastic card-holding elements.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawing, 10 indicates the game board or panel which may be made of sheet metal or other appropriate material and which is rectangular in shape and has a depending marginal rim or flange 11. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the same has been shown designed for use in playing the game of bridge, wherein the four players sit opposite the respective sides of the board. In Figure 1 I have shown the board and the relative positions of the e cards when the game is in progress, the bidder being positioned at the lower edge of the board and his partner or the dummy, as he is called in bridge nomenclature, being positioned at the opposite or upper edge of the board, while the remaining two players, which are partners, are positioned at the opposite side edges of the board. In playing the game of bridge, the dummy does not play his hand but exposes his cards on BOARD 1930. Serial No. 468,565.

played by his partner,

dealt to the respective players, four in numher, a holding or retaining means A. is positioned w1th1n the convenient reach of each player adjacent each'side of the board for receiving the cards dealt him, these means being preferably arranged on the half-section of the board nearest or opposite the dealer, two being arranged substantially centrally of the section and in spaced parallel relation to that edge of the board opposite the dealer for receiving the dealers cards and those of his partner, and two being located adjacent the side edges of the board and parallel therewith for receiving the cards of the two opponent players;

Similar holding means B are employed along two adjoining sides of the board for receiving the card-tricks taken in by the opposing players, that portion of the board opposite the dealer containing two of such holding means in approximately longitudinal alinement and parallel to the adjoining edge of the board, one being for the reception of the bidders tricks constituting what is termed the book in bridge nomenclature, and the other receiving those tricks taken by the bidder over and above the book. The other holding means B is located on the other or upper half section of the board remote from the bidder and along that marginal side thereof to the left of the bidder and disposed parallel to such side for receiving the opponents tricks.

A similar holding means 0 is positioned at one side of the board for receiving the cards in rows according to suit and which represent the dummys hand laid on the table after the bid has been made, these means being arranged on the upper half-section of the board in parallel spaced relation and at substantially right angles to that edge of the board opposite the bidder.

The several elements constituting the card-holding or retaining means A, B, and C are identical in construction and vary only in their longitudinal dimensions, and for this reason-a description of one of these elements will suflice for all. Each of these elements, by preference, consists of a strap-like band or strip 12 disposed to overlie the board in the manner shown in the drawing and detach ably connected at its ends thereto. This band is made of elastic or like material so that the same may be stretched above the plane of the board to permit the ready insertion and removal of the cards between these parts, the hand overlying the cards, in the manner shown in Figure 1, to hold them in place and prevent their blowing away or shifting about by the wind or other disturbances.

While any appropriate means maybe employed for detachably joining the holding elements 12 to the board, I preferably em plo clips 13 of metal or other appropriate material. which are substantially U-shaped in cross-section and pinched. riveted or otherwise secured to the opposing ends of the elements and which are adapted for insertion and interlocking engagement with openings 14:

arranged in the game board. These clips are somewhat longer than the width of the clastic elements 12 and their projected portions constitute locking lips or shoulders 15 which :1, are adapted to bear against the underside of the board 10 adjoining the ends of the respective openings 14. In applying the cardholding strips to the board, their clips 13 are turned downwardly relatively to the strip to a substantially pendant position and may be inserted at an angle to the board, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 3, and after the same have. been projected through the corresponding openings they are turned to the horizontal position shown by full lines in Figure 3, the elasticity of the bands serving to reliably hold the clips in operative position against the underside of the board.

In Figure 1, I have indicated by dotted lines the manner in which the dealer may insert the cards beneath the holding means A, while in full lines I have indicated the manner in which the tricks are held in place by the holding means B at the adjoining sides of the board, and also the manner in which the cards of the dummy are arranged by the. holding means C.

\Vhile manifestly simple, compact and inexpensive in construction, this improved hoard makes it possible to play the game of bridge in the open air without danger of the cards shitting about or blowing away. Furthermore, the holding elements are so constructed and arranged as to enable the cards to be readily and conveniently applied to and removed from their respective places on the board without damaging the cards.

I claim as my invention 1. A game board of the character described, comprising a panel constituting a support for playing a card game, and having a plurality of pairs of openings therein, and a\ plurality of strap-like, card-holding elements applied to the surface of said panel between the respective pairs of panel-openings and each having coupling devices at its ends for interlocking engagement with a corresponding pair of openings, said coupling devices being longer than the width of their straplike elements and said openings and adapted 7 to abut edgewise against the underside of the support adjoining the respective openings.

2. A game board of the character described, comprising a panel constituting a support for playing a card game and having a plurality of pairs of openings therein, and a plurality of flexible, card-holding straps arranged to overlie the surface of said panel between the respective pairs of openings, each strap being provided at its ends with clips of substantially U-shape cross-section engageable with a corresponding pair of panelopenings at right angles to the surface of the panel, said clips having lips projecting from their opposite ends beyond the sides of the strap and arranged to bear against the underside of the panel in the applied position of the straps.

JOHN F. GEIBEL. 

